


Tradition

by Hellokaelyn



Series: Christmas Prompt List [9]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Christmas prompt list, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 10:35:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16931679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Day 9: Tradition





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> For dwayne-pride's Christmas prompt list on Tumblr.  
> Day 9

While working undercover there were certain things that were made impossible, one of those were holiday traditions. But even when he was on an assignment that went over Christmas, the next spare time he had after it was complete there was one tradition he kept, even if it was late. 

When his first Christmas on team Gibbs came around he never said a word about his little tradition. His second year he almost mentioned it when Tim, Ellie, Reeves and Abby were sharing things they did every Christmas but decided not to. His third year was when that changed.

Though, it wasn’t like he had a choice. How could he hide his baking sugar cookies tradition from Ellie when she was spending almost every night at his apartment since they started dating? 

“Nick?” Ellie asked when she walked into the kitchen to find him gathering all the ingredients he bought and bringing out everything else he’d need. “What’re you doing?”

She lifted herself up onto one of the counter’s, her normal spot for sitting when in his kitchen instead of the chairs. He had heard stories from Tim about her weird sitting spots when she first joined the team, but he didn’t really think much of it until she started spending all her time at his place. When in the kitchen she sat on the counter either swinging her feet or tucking them under her (it was always on the counter he never used), in the living room she sat cross legged on the floor at the end of his coffee table or tucked into the corner of his couch, in his second bedroom turned ‘study’ which she used when reading she would sit on the desk or even under it.

“Baking.” He told her, watching her expression of surprise in the corner of his eye.

“You bake?” 

Nick had to try hard not to laugh at the excited look on her face.

“Not really.” He shrugged. “Only sugar cookies, and only once for Christmas.”

Ellie tilted her head now curious. “Why? I mean obviously it’s a tradition, but why?”

Nick put the stuff in his hands down, turning to lean against the counter. 

“Sugar cookies were Sofia’s favorite.” He said softly. Ellie nodded, giving him a sad little understanding smile. “The first Christmas without her, I decided to bake them for Christmas for her even if she wasn’t here to enjoy them.”

“You guys use to make them together?” She asked, hopping off the counter to stand in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning against him. 

Nick wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. She always used peppermint scented shampoo when it came close to Christmas. “Yeah. It won’t be weird for you, will it?”

Ellie kissed him softly, pulling back with a smile on her face. “No, I think it’s sweet.”

Nick lifted his hand and gently moved some of her hair out of her face, his fingers trailing down to her cheek as she leaned into his touch. 

“How about I help you make them, and you tell me stories about her.” Ellie bit her lip. “I mean if it’s not too hard-”

“You want to me to tell you about her?” He asked, not able to keep the little surprise out of his voice. No one ever asked him to tell them about her before.

Ellie nodded. “You loved her, so she had to be pretty amazing.”

Nick kissed her this time, both of them getting a little distracted for a few minutes.

As they started making the cookies, Nick shared stories about Sofia with Ellie listening intently the whole time. 

He swore he fell even more in love with her for it. 

Every year after that his sugar cookies tradition became  _ their _ tradition.


End file.
